法苑珠林 86.25

86.25

"Good man, out of pity and compassion for all sentient beings, I have taught this dhāraṇī. If inferior śrāmaṇeras, śrāmaṇerikās, upāsakas, or upāsikās also read, recite, and cultivate this dhāraṇī, reciting it four hundred times before making one repentance, consecutively for forty-seven days, when repenting they must declare their own faults so that they are audible to the ear, as described above. If they are able to see each of these events in a dream, one should know that these śrāmaṇeras and others abide in the ground of purity and possess the pure precepts." The Buddha said to Mañjuśrī: "In accordance with what you have kept in mind, a practitioner should cultivate five matters to uphold the realm of precepts: namely, not transgressing the meaning of the dhāraṇī; not slandering the vaipulya sūtras; not looking at others' faults; not disparaging the Mahāyāna; not disparaging the Hīnayāna; not separating from good friends; and constantly speaking of the sublime conduct of sentient beings. There are another five matters: not speaking of what is seen in the higher realms; not speaking of the good or bad quality of actions performed; plastering the ground three times a day; reciting [the dhāraṇī] once a day; and making one repentance each day. These five matters are the practitioner's practice to avoid transgressing precepts. There are another five matters: if a bhikṣu or a white-robed layperson practices this method, they must not offer sacrifices to ghosts and spirits; they must not show contempt toward ghosts and spirits; they must not destroy shrines for ghosts and spirits; even if someone else offers sacrifices to ghosts and spirits, they must not show contempt; and they must not interact with that person. These five matters are the practitioner's practice to guard the sphere of precepts. There are another five matters: they must not interact with households that slander the vaipulya sūtras; they must not interact with bhikṣus who have broken the precepts; they must not interact with upāsakas who have broken the five precepts; they must not interact with households of hunters; and they must not interact with people who constantly speak of the faults of bhikṣus. There are another five matters: they must not interact with households of tanners who brain hides; they must not interact with households of indigo dyers; they must not interact with households that raise silkworms; they must not interact with households of oil-pressers; and they must not interact with households that dig out rat caches. There are another five matters: they must not interact with households of kidnappers; they must not interact with households of thieves; they must not interact with households that burn down saṃghārāmas; they must not interact with people who steal saṃgha property; and they must not interact with people who steal even the property of a single bhikṣu. There are another five matters: they must not interact with households that raise pigs, sheep, chickens, or dogs; they must not interact with households that observe constellations; they must not interact with households of courtesans; they must not interact with households of widows; and they must not interact with households that sell alcohol. These seven sets of five matters are the practitioner's practice to guard their spheres of conduct."